Vallée-Jonction, QC – The first oval event and first doubleheader of the 2026 NASCAR Canada season delivered plenty of excitement after both races were postponed from Saturday to Sunday due to heavy rainfall in the region.
Marc-Antoine Camirand emerged as the dominant driver of the weekend, sweeping both races at the quarter-mile oval by winning the Bud Light 125 and the Michelob Ultra 125.
With qualifying washed out, the starting lineup for the Bud Light 125 was established in accordance with the NASCAR Canada rulebook, placing Camirand and the No. 96 GM Paillé Chevrolet on pole position.
Camirand controlled the early stages of the race but faced relentless pressure from Donald Theetge in the No. 80 Revêtements Vulcain / Max Leclerc Construction Chevrolet throughout the 125-lap contest. Multiple cautions, along with a late red flag, kept the field tightly packed and set the stage for a dramatic finish. Theetge took the lead around the halfway mark and engaged in a lengthy battle with Camirand for the top spot.
Further back, Alex Labbé charged from 12th on the grid into contention in the No. 36 Lussier Chevrolet / Centre du VR Victoriaville Chevrolet, while William Larue methodically worked his way forward from 13th in the No. 45 Larue Industrial Snow Removal Equipment / Leeboy Chevrolet.
Following a late restart with just 12 laps remaining, Camirand regained the lead and held off Theetge during a thrilling four-car battle that also included Labbé and Larue to secure his first victory of the season. The podium was completed by Theetge in second and Larue in third.
The starting lineup for the Michelob Ultra 125 was determined by each driver’s fastest lap in the opening race, once again placing Camirand at the front of the field.
The second race quickly developed into another showdown between Camirand and Theetge, with the pair exchanging the lead several times throughout the afternoon. Theetge first moved to the front on Lap 20 before Camirand reclaimed the position nine laps later.
Behind the leaders, Alex Guenette in the No. 39 DLGL / GL Électricité-Automatisations Chevrolet delivered a strong performance, rebounding from a flat tire in the Bud Light 125 to charge through the field. He spent much of the event battling DJ Kennington, driving the No. 17 Castrol / BrimstoneGames / DriveBuySupply / CIM Dodge, for third position, while Labbé and Larue steadily worked their way into the top-five.
Several cautions throughout the second half of the race repeatedly reset the field and intensified the battle at the front. A late incident involving Guenette and Kennington shuffled the running order. Following the final restart on Lap 101, Camirand once again wrestled the lead away from Theetge and held him off over the closing laps to complete a sweep of the Autodrome Chaudière doubleheader.
Theetge crossed the finish line second, while Larue secured another third-place finish to duplicate the podium from the Bud Light 125. Labbé finished fourth, while Mathieu Kingsbury in the No. 9 Duroking / BFL Canada Chevrolet rounded out the top-five.
“It was a perfect weekend for us. I’m very happy with the result,” said Camirand. “The second race was a little more challenging, probably because of the warmer temperatures, but we managed to keep ourselves at the front and finish the day with two wins.”
“Our goal was to come away with two podium finishes, and of course we wanted a win,” explained Theetge. “I think we were really close at the end. I’m already looking forward to Riverside. We’ve shown that we have a very good car, and I believe we have a real shot at winning there.”
“I’m really happy with two podium finishes today. We had the pace and the speed to race at the front. Chaudière is always a fun track where you can make moves and race side-by-side,” added Larue.
Larue was named JOSTENS Rookie of the Race in both events.
The NASCAR Canada Series heads next to the Maritimes for a visit to Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, NS on June 27.
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